According to NCAA guidelines, Shabazz Muhammad could miss 10 games

According to NCAA guidelines, UCLA freshman swingman Shabazz Muhammad could miss about 10 games for the Bruins before he is reinstated.

That figure is based on the NCAA’s reinstatement guidelines for preferential treatment violations that occurred before an athlete enrolled in a college and information about the violation the NCAA cited when it declared Muhammad ineligible Friday for violations of amateurism rules.

It's important to note that the number of games Muhammad could miss could be affected if the NCAA finds any mitigating or aggravating factors in the case that would alter its final ruling, which people close to the situation who are not authorized to speak publicly said could be announced as early as next week.

Further, the total number of games Muhammad could be forced to sit out could potentially be reduced during the appeals process, which UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said the university plans to undertake.

But according to NCAA guidelines, an athlete that received greater than $1,000 in benefits would have to repay those benefits and would also be declared ineligible for 30% of one season of competition.

The total cost of the travel and lodging for Muhammad's three unofficial recruiting visits to two schools -- North Carolina and Duke -- that the NCAA referenced in its ruling is between $1,500 and $2,000, said people close to the situation who are not authorized to speak publicly.

The costs of those visits were paid for by North Carolina-based financial advisor Benjamin Lincoln, people close to the situation said.

Muhammad's family has said that Lincoln is a friend — and the NCAA does allow for financial aid to be awarded to an athlete provided that it's from someone with a preexisting relationship.

But Guerrero said Friday that the NCAA determined the Muhammad family's relationship with Lincoln "would not have allowed ... the family to receive the benefits that they got."

As it stands, basing Muhammad's situation purely on the NCAA guidelines, 30% of UCLA’s 32-game regular season schedule is roughly 10 games. UCLA's 11th game of the season is Dec. 15 against Prairie View A&M.

Here are the NCAA’s reinstatement guidelines for preferential treatment violations that occurred before an athlete enrolled in college:

1. Value of benefit ranges from greater than $100 to $500 = repayment.

2. Value of benefit ranges from greater than $500 to $700 = withholding of 10% of eligibility for one season of competition and repayment.

3. Value of benefit ranges from greater than $700 to $1,000 = withholding of 20% of eligibility for one season of competition and repayment.

4. Value of benefit is greater than $1,000 = withholding of 30% of eligibility for one season of competition and repayment.